Thursday, January 29, 2009

War Stories - 20 days reduced to 9:21 minutes

Yep, condenced to just over 9 minutes long. I put this together to show the complete creation of this clay.

http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site/view_shared?p=7f458949534290c1bb01fe&skin_id=601&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=email

Here is the discription for this piece.

War Stories
As written by Joe Redfeather Bettinger, War Chief and Lakota,
to David Lemon

Joe starts, "I have watched the progression of this piece and agree with all that has been said and done. I am glad you went with the strike claw in his hand rather than a scalp lock, in this depiction of a War Story."
"To many none Indian people think that battles were only with other men. That taking scalps was the only trophy taken. Never mind that scalping was started in the East by the French. This tradition caught hold there and and gradually moved west late in the 1800's. This depiction, shows another side of my ancestors way, a way that helped us survive for thousands of years, without hurting or damaging our land, and our four legged brothers. It was the white man who almost killed off all the buffalo, not the Indian."
"The claw he holds is a Strike Claw. This is the claw on a Bear's paw which is the longest."
Joe continues, "I am thinking he is talking about how close it came to striking him in battle, He survived his battle with an aggressive Grizzly, and is still living. This mighty warrior is telling the story of his battle with this great bear, because another battle is near, another bear has declared war, he is giving a warning to this new enemy, through his stance, and the showing of the Strike Claw, taken in victory, from the last bear who dared declare war against him and his tribe."
Joe talks about the warrior himself. "His clothing and buffalo robe, also tell stories This is a great warrior, with many great deeds that he has done for his people."
"This warrior is of the Bear Clan."
Joe talks about the four directions, and the deeper meaning of the colors associated with those directions. "The direction West, being the Black Road. This road which travels the opposite of the good or Red Road (North to South). The Black Road is East to West. The West being the Bear which is introspect the ability to look within the darkest corners of the mind, to know your own weakness and to be able to conquer that weakness.""If people didn't have a dark side, they could not recognize the dark side in others, including our four legged brothers."
Joe continues, "In most Native American tribes, the predator animals are never taken for food, (unless the tribe was starving) . If a bear, or cougar attacked the village, his family, or a hunting party, as with any aggression, they would have declared war on that animal."
Describing the tactics of an enemy bear, "The bear will stand when fighting so War Arrows are used in a battle with a bear. War Arrows are constructed different from hunting arrows."
Joe gives meaning to the the items worn and carried by this great warrior. "The buffalo robe tells the stories of this warriors most remembered events. The center shows the bear, his clan, also his spirit helper.""The lance he carries is a buffalo honoring lance. With buffalo hide to honor the buffalo and the seven eagle feathers, honoring the God head. The first three are for the Father, Son, & Spirit, and the bottom four feathers are for the four directions, North, South, East, and West of the medicine wheel. The total number seven is a sacred number."
"The stories this warrior tells will be passed down for generations."

Sunset photo's heading west from Bozeman to Ennis tonight. (looking towards the Madison River. )





See you all next week.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

War Stories - Final Day On The Clay

This was the final day on this clay. A total of 16 actual days on this piece since I began the first and failed version.

http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site/view_shared?p=7f36eb513355e598084f80&skin_id=601&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=email

Final photographs of the clay.





I surely hope you've enjoyed this journey into the creation of War Stories. I will be starting a new piece in a week or so. Wait till you see what I'm doing next :) <----(that's a smile)

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

War Stories - Making a Spear

The video says it all today. Got a really late start.

http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site/view_shared?p=7f15f553bddbbf5c695ed7&skin_id=601&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=email

Photo of the Buffalo Honoring Lance. This was made by Gloria 'D' of Virginia City Montana.


Back at it tomorrow. Thanks guys for visiting my blog. I'm honored.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Another Sunday drive

This drive is through Jeffers Montana. Jeffers was the first town site in the Madison Valley where I live. Started in the 1860's.
Jeffers is only a couple of miles from Ennis where I live.

http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site/view_shared?p=7edf2e206c040a935b6821&skin_id=601&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=email

Friday, January 23, 2009

War Stories - Buffalo Robe Pattern

I received help from a woman, Gloria 'D', who specializes in creating magnificent, authentic, reproductions of 1800 style Indian clothing, robes, weapons, and assorted everyday items for sale through galleries that represent her.
We talk all the time, about traditions of the native Americans, and her husband, who is Lakota, has been helpfull with his special insight. She suggested the Grizzly theme in the War Stories, story.
She has created clothing and items for many western movies, including having painted buffalo robes for the movie, Dances With Wolves.
So today, I implemented her design into the buffalo robe this warrior has draped over his left shoulder and arm.

http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site/view_shared?p=7e9d6104f3edd79cc67842&skin_id=601&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=email

Here are detail photos for you to look at. Remember you can click on them to make them larger.







I'll be back in my studio on Monday. Saturday, or tomorrow, I'm an extra all day in a movie being filmed in Bozeman. So I'll add again on Monday.

War Stories - Shirt and Hair Fringe

Worked on the designs that will be on the shirt. Using the theme of War Stories, I'm creating, a story in a pictograph on the shirt of a battle. Then I add hair fringe, giving the name of the shirt as a "Scalp Shirt". The Scalp Shirt was worn by war leaders. Crazy Horse was allowed to wear a Hair Shirt, till he messed around with another mans wife in the tribe and got shot for it. Then it was taken away from him. You have to live up to a certain standard to wear a Hair Shirt.

http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site/view_shared?p=7e818e1468438f2b9257de&skin_id=601&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=email

Back in the studio tomorrow.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

No Studio Time Today

Birthday party for an artist friend of mine today.. So there will be no entry today. Just to let you know, Saturday will be a no entry day as well, because I'm going to be an extra in a Tom Arnold film. If I can take photos or videos at the filming, I'll put them on my blog on Saturday night or Sunday. I have to get permission from the people in charge first. Be back in the studio tomorrow. Look for an entry tomorrow night. Just a informative note. There are almost 40 people who visit this blog each month. I know that isn't a huge number, but for me, it's amazing.
I've kept a record of the visitors since the begining of this year. I mean they're located in;

Honolulu Hawaii,
all across the USA,
Goiania Brazil,
Madrid and Alicante in Spain,
London and Port Talbot in the UK,
Klaksvik in the Farrow Islands,
Desio and Varese Italy,
Ostrava Czech Republic,
Kasnodarskiy in Russia,
Kanpur India,
Surin and Bangkok in Thailand,
Jakarta Indonesia,
Hong Kong China,
Brisbain Australia,
Haifa Isreal,
Alexandria in Egypt
Saudi Arabia.

I'm so honored to have anyone view this blog, but to have such a vast variety of visitors is totally amazing. Thank you, everyone. Especially Carlo in Northern Italy (near Milan). He visits every day. Thank you sir. It's for all of you that I do this and take the amount of time it takes to do this. I'm paying it forward.
Back in the studio tomorrow. So check back in tomorrow night.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Tour of Dream Catcher Studio and a Road Trip

Had to go to Bozeman today. Before I went, I photographed my studio and some of the paintings and photos on my walls. A kind of tour of where I create.

http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site/view_shared?p=7d71f9616183d602f45fc6&skin_id=601&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=email

Playing with clay tomorrow.

Monday, January 12, 2009

War Stories - Third Day - Bone, Muscle, and Robe

Today's entry... Bone, Muscle, and Robe

http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site/view_shared?p=7d5763ce0799c3035576e4&skin_id=601&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=email

Have to go to Bozeman in the morning on bank business. Long story. Hopefully I'll be able to put in a few hours in the afternoon.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

War Stories - Second Day - Clay added

Again, it's easier for me to put the link to OneTrueMedia.com than to download the video. It took me from 4 pm this afternoon to after midnight to upload my videos to ontruemedia after I edited the videos. It would take another hour or more to upload that same finished video here, and it would be postage stamp size.. so actually, you'll enjoy the video more through the link.
If this method doesn't work, please let me know.
Today I started to put the clay on. I was going to put wax on this piece but decided at the last moment to use the clay. So I spent the day struggling with clay that had been nearly frozen in the back room of my studio.
http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site/view_shared?p=7d2047afdee6af64e2a820&skin_id=601&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=email

I'll be back at it Monday. Hope you have a wonderful Sunday.

Friday, January 9, 2009

War Stories - Day One

Again, it's faster to just give you a link to my videos on this first day. The creation of the armature. Just click on this link for Part one of two.
First I get the proportions for an 18 inch tall figure. The human figure is divide at the groin. So I work out the measurements of the head and divide the upper half into 4 head lengths.

http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site/view_shared?p=7cff07f866ff3804274b8d&skin_id=601&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=email

Part two of two.

http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site/view_shared?p=7cf44cf3c5bcfa719d8c1c&skin_id=601&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=email

If you can get a hold of a book on anatomy for artists, you can get more information on this.
More to come.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

A Video Day

Spent the day putting together a video showing all my artwork. In these times of financial meltdown, artists have to try and promote their work in any way they can. I started on this video on OneTrueMedia.com early this morning. Here is a link to it. It's 20 minutes long. To long to load here and on youtube.

http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site/view_shared?p=7cb9757f26ca18a10b6df7&skin_id=601&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=email

Here is the subject I'll be starting on tomorrow. (oops, having trouble uploading, so refer to yesterdays blog and it's Possible number 6)Sorry, uploading is hickcupping.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Six Possibles

Spent the day today going over photo's for the last 18 years of model shoots to come up with the design for my next clay. It really helps to have that kind of resource.
Here are the six possibles for my next clay

Possible 1.


Possible 2.


Possible 3. (Just the woman on the horse, leaving out the man)


Possible 4


Possible 5.



Possible 6.



Here's the hair style I'm going to put on the piece. It's a traditional Crow hair style. This young man is from the Crow Agency in Montana.



Here's your chance to add a comment in the creation of my next clay. I have a couple of favorites. If you have any, drop me a line, mailto: mailto: mtlemon@gmail.com and let me know what you think. Come back tomorrow and see which one I've chosen to start. I'll also give the guiding factors in the choice. Ain't this fun?

Monday, January 5, 2009

First Day Back January 2009

I was up all last night. It's now 8:32 am and I'm going back to bed. Suffering from a cold. I did manage, in my pain and suffering, cough cough, to put together a 10 minute video that explains the process by which bronze is colored. I posted it on YouTube and rather than spend an hour downloading that video here, I'll just put up this link and get back in bed...
Enjoy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpGxvS17cpc

We'll see what happens tomorrow. Check back in, please. Oh check out the revolving globe below. You click on it and it brings up a world map. If your on my blog, a pulsating marker pinpoints where you are, showing that your now looking at my blog... I have one person in Milan, Italy who visited my blog and a friend In Thailand also.. Kinda cool if you think of it..

Thursday, January 1, 2009

A Fresh Start for 2009

I've decided to start fresh for 2009. All that you will see here will be what happens in this new year.
You can still go to my old blog, but future posts will be on this blog. I hope I've not inconvenienced you. Just add this to your short cuts and favorites, as well, for reviewing purposes, you can still get a lot of knowledge from the 2008 blog.
Starting Monday the 5th, I'll be back in my studio. I hope you'll be able to come to this blog and enjoy watching artwork created from nothing to bronze.